The present invention relates to fluid filters and more particularly to a hydraulic filter.
Hydraulic filters are commonly used as suction line filters, return line filters and pressure filters. One known filter is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,368, owned by the assignee of the present invention, in which a two piece housing is provided consisting of a head casting and an elongated, tubular filter container. A tubular filter element, having annular end caps sealingly bonded at each end of a ring-shaped media, is removeably located in the container. A diverter structure provides means for separating the head casting into inlet and outlet partitions in fluid communication respectively with the inner and outer portions of a tubular filter element. The diverter is in a truncated funnel-shaped configuration mounted at its larger periphery within a cylindrical cavity in the head casting. The diverter structure is removable through an open end of the head casting after removal of a cover member, and provides an efficient means for transmitting fluid flow between a transverse port of the housing and the axially-aligned filter element.
The smaller, necked-down end of the funnel-shaped diverter is removeably and sealingly received in one of the annular end caps of the element, and directs fluid flow into the interior of the filter element. The flow passes through the element where particulate and other contaminants are removed, and then passes out through an opposite transverse port in the head casting. The other annular end cap of the filter element is supported by a support member at the opposite, distal end of the container, which can be fixed to removable. The element can be removed when it is spent from the distal end of the container by separation from the diverter; or alternatively can be removed when the diverter is removed from the head casting, and then separated from the diverter.
While the filter described above has received acceptance in the market and provides a number of benefits for the user, it requires a separate diverter component, which adds cost to the system, complexity in manufacture and assembly, and also reduces the surface area of the media available for filtration. As such, it is believed there is a demand in the industry for a filter, particularly for hydraulic fluid, which has few components, is simpler to manufacture and assemble, and which includes increased surface area for filtration.